Site Mobile Navigation

2 Clinton Judicial Choices Are Approved After Lott Forces Votes

Senator Trent Lott, the Republican leader, forced through the confirmation of two federal judges today, putting a sudden end to an insurrection by members of his party who had vowed to block consideration of any of President Clinton's choices for the bench.

Mr. Lott, who controls the Senate's agenda, had been largely silent over the last several weeks as 19 Republican senators had campaigned to end consideration of all judicial nominees until Mr. Clinton left office.

''I don't think we should, or would, be able to go all year without confirming any nominations,'' Mr. Lott, of Mississippi, said today in explaining his action. ''Some of these are good men and women.''

There is a great need for more judges in some states, he added.

The leader of the group seeking a blockade, Senator James M. Inhofe of Oklahoma, said he was doing so in retaliation for what he said was Mr. Clinton's deceptiveness in making appointments to several agencies while the Senate was in recess last December. Mr. Inhofe said Mr. Clinton had promised not to make some of those appointments.

The White House countered that Mr. Inhofe misunderstood the agreement, and Mr. Lott appeared to suggest that he thought the White House explanation was correct. But until this afternoon, Mr. Lott did not challenge Mr. Inhofe or his 18 colleagues.

By bringing up the two nominees on the floor for a vote, Mr. Lott essentially challenged Mr. Inhofe to block the consideration with prolonged debate, a filibuster, or fold. Mr. Inhofe first tried a motion to suspend consideration of all the nominees, but he received only the votes of his original 18 supporters.

An error has occurred. Please try again later.

You are already subscribed to this email.

When the actual votes were taken, Thomas Ambro was confirmed by a vote of 96 to 2 to be a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, in Philadelphia. The Senate also voted 95 to 2 to confirm Joel A. Pisano to be a federal trial judge in New Jersey.

Mr. Inhofe voted against both nominees and was joined by Senator Robert C. Smith, Republican of New Hampshire.

The two nominees were largely without controversy and it remains unclear how much Senator Lott will yield when it comes to the nearly 40 nominees still pending.

The issue of confirming judicial nominees becomes linked to presidential politics in the last year of a presidential term. Democrats have accused Republicans of trying to slow the confirmation process to leave as many vacancies for the next president in case the White House is occupied by a Republican.

Mr. Lott had promised a floor vote on two of the nominees who have waited the longest: Judge Richard A. Paez of Federal District Court and Marsha L. Berzon, a California lawyer, who have been nominated to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in San Francisco. Judge Paez has been waiting more than three years for a vote and Ms. Berzon for nearly two years.